The Unseelie Court
Intro The Unseelie Court, Unholy Faerie Court, or Black Court of Morrigna exists on its own plane, weaving in and out of the 'mortal' plane, with fringes overlapping various land-masses, countries, or worlds. Its touch is usually frail and confusing to traverse, the transitions from one plane into Faerie taking the form of great misty rifts to small 'rabbit holes' that are often unreliable or unpredictable. Faerie is a new presence in Evanwyn, as the fae world has prised a small hole in Glimmerhorn Forest where they are constructing an outpost, Helmnestral. Helmnestral itself is a looming fortress in the making, with flames winking from cruciform windows, angry black flags streaming, and a perennial circle of mist surrounding it. There is currently an armory, a barracks, a training ground and a chapel in construction, from which the Fairy Host, or oskerei bases its soul-hunting operations in Evanwyn. '<>' The Parasitic World There are several origin myths within the Fae, but the one that rings most true is this: Before the First Age, there were supernatural beings that walked the world, each incredibly powerful, immortal, and with their own temperaments and alignments. Whether they fell from the Heavens or were spat out of Hell was unknown, but over the course of centuries they became weary of their endless lives, and sank into a deep slumber under the earth. Their dreams or respirations were puffs of ethereal power so great that they had a substance, and as the dreams passed up through the world they intermingled with the material, binding what would otherwise dissipate and vanish into corporeal forms. Whatever may have caused the ethereal presence to begin with, what had come into existence was a great but finite amount of power and very fleeting, and so in order to continue existing it was forced to continue to bond with the material plane. So began a precedent of vampirism, and while Faerie devours material substance in order to survive, it also slowly disperses into the material world. It is like a drop of ink on water, resting on the surface tenuously, and inexorably expanding into a thinner and thinner ring until it is completely transparent. While this slow death of sorts is far on the horizon, Faerie is in its mid-life, and not as powerful as it once was''.'' The Shining Ones Faerie is stratified into castes of several creatures including sprites, brownies, redcaps, faelings, goblins and even some elven breeds that have permeated Fae society. The noble caste of Faerie is comprised of the High Fae, or Sidhe. The sidhe are commonly referred to as the Shining Ones in mythology for their preternatural beauty and abilities. With great power comes increased glamour, so they are a vain society that values aesthetics above most other things, and are terribly hierarchical. While some sidhe are lucky enough to have unusual features due to throwbacks to an older, more higher-magic age, most sidhe have complexions, hair, and features that do not stray far from the human norm ie pale-pink to chocolate skin, blonde hair, blue eyes etc. Interbreeding with 'lesser fae' and elves is also another source of curious traits. Those traits that have resulted in breeding-down are usually looked down upon, whilst possessing wings or unusual hair is incredibly rare, and a sign of a pure ancestral line, whether or not it be true. As is the case with most fae, sidhe are very long-lived, spanning over centuries and even aeons although the latter is rare in the current age. The common age bracket for maturity is between 300-500, although fae never physically age past a human 'prime' in appearance. There are currently only five elder fae surviving - these are sidhe who have existed since the Fifth Age or prior (we are currently in the Seventh Age), and due to their elderly nature are usually relatively powerless, if not highly respected for their knowledge and longevity. Elder fae can be easily identified by their white-washed appearance. The sidhe are beings comprised of magic in greater or lesser quantities depending on how corporeal or incorporeal they are. With regards to anathemas, all fae of Morrigna are vulnerable to iron, but those who are more corporeal less so, and vice versa. Powerful fae are also vulnerable to running water and ritual prayer due to their unholy nature. While powerful fae can heal at super-human rates, the more corporeal fae heal slower and also may show human-like signs of age. All fae have a secret True Name, which is rarely revealed to another, as to know someones True Name is to have complete power over them. Soul Hunters: The Fairy Host The Fairy Host, Lich-Way, Oskerei, Wild Hunt, or Blood Cabal are some of many names given to the ritualistic fairy raids that sidhe champions launch upon human settlements. Tradition dictates specific dates according to the lunar or solar calendars when large-scale fae raids are conducted that may include rabbles of lesser fae and baby-snatching, but in general the sidhe hunt in smaller cabals or cadres with a more significant purpose than revelry and sheer cruelty - Hunters harvest souls and flesh for the purpose of rejuvenating Faerie. Strictly pure-blood sidhe only can enter the ranks of the Harlequin Court, or Hunter's Cabal (or even 'Red Court'). Sidhe from the long allied court of Chaline are also permitted entry. Entry ranks of the Cabal are Page and Squire, and fully fledged Hunters bear various ranks of knighthood depending on their status within the cabal, for example, Knight-Captain and Knight-Inquisitor. The cabal is governed by a Grandmaster, (currently the Hierophant Faisix), who is counselled by an inner circle of seven members. All Hunters of seniority take a totem symbol of personal meaning. Even higher ranked seniors have a set pool of names to choose from, for example, the Fool, the Sun, and the Tower. The Hunters also have other duties - they protect the borders of Faerie and police portals to and from Faerie. Because of their role, they have specific abilities that other fae do not: They can teleport by shadow-walking where most fae are restricted to mist-walking and general portal use, although even this is heavily legislated. They can also track living essence both ethereal and material across realms. Appendices: Useful Info for the RPer Lastly, we come to some useful information for anyone RPing under this system: Characters of Importance '(Player characters and NPCs of current relevance to storylines) *'Aelarion - the Unseelie King with nearly godly power to create and destroy within Faerie. Supernatural influence over the people and creatures of Faerie. Moonlights in the 'mortal' realm as "Coal." Played by Qor. *'Akassian Drol' - ''a foreign sidhe prince and current political hostage. Played by Gregory.'' *'Albareth Mordarante' - ''the beautiful but moody twin sister of Lord Irastae. ''Played by Irastae. *'Alutina Tiramae' - a bold young Huntress from Lord Irastae's cadre. Played by Lahni. *'Ashothros Veonarill - '''apprentice to the elder fae Selissias, and member of Irastae's cadre. ''Played by Irastae. *'Astranci the Niahbird' - ''a bird with telepathic powers purchased for Selissias by Alutina! Played by Amedea.'' *'Dieya Aquilaste' - a Hunter banished and stripped of all magic, thereby becoming a fairy-ghoul. Played by Qor. *'Irastae Mordarante' - a Knight-Captain and Marquess who governs Mordarante in conjuction with his twin sister, Albareth. Played by Irastae. *'Laramia' - the Unseelie Queen, with similar powers to the King, but linked with protection and maintenance. Supernatural influence over the land/environment of Faerie. Played by Irastae. *'Naiimah - '''an Inaeran slave, scholar, and close friend and confidante of the King, currently in exile. ''Played by Ven. *'Selissias Thierri' - an elder fae and magician. Played by Qor. *'Sri Razuli, the Wolf '- an elder fae, seer and mystic from the Hahrun. Played by Ven. *'Vilukhiani na'Hahrun' - a foreign sidhe prince, granted the highest honours any foreigner can be granted - made nobility within Morrigna. Duke of Athdara, and Protector of the Realm. Played by Ven. *'Zephyrine Alcaz '- a huntress currently assigned to House Mordarante. Played by Qor. ' '''Important NPCs *'Bres Fairfrei '- current Calobrii Champion, son of the Duke Aethelred, and married to Clarissante of Carthach. *'Faisix the Hierophant' - the mysterious Grandmaster of the Hunt. *'The Mad King' - leader of a foreign threat from Chaline, who brings both Life and Madness. *'The Twins' - Aineslis and Elsandir, elder fae, High Inquisitors, Law Lords, and pedantic Dukes of Belassan. ' and some cool memorable player characters from our past or currently in hiatus that we remember fondly: *'''Almitra - the troubled princess. Played by Apis. *'Amirithia' - ''the fae bard. Played by Eolhin.'' *'Cu '- a chatty fairy hound. Played by E. *'Idrysaire' - ''queen for a day. ''Played by Yllyor. *'Imari va Suncion '- the alluring mistress of Connemara, with mysterious agendas. Played by Maggs *'Lysandria' - Aelarion's first true love. Played by Hedone. *'Phyllaeon' - ''just serious and awesome. Played by Yllyor.'' *'Sancia de'Morrigna' - the wayward daughter of Ailestarion, and almost princess. Played by Maggs. *'Tori' - a meddling angelic.'' Played by Maggs.'' Some Important Places *'The Summer Country' - the heart of Faerie, and only constant place. The rest of Faerie tends to shift and change, which can be confusing to foreigners. The Royal Palace and House of Lords are both located in the Summer Country. It is perennial summer there. *'Ban Braidagh' - the largest province in Faerie, comprising of wild forest and many unexplored areas. The Hunter's Cabal is based here, in what was once in a previous age the royal palace. Ban Braidagh is goverened by the Duke Aethelred and his wife, Kaede. *'Carthach' - one of the richest and most powerful provinces of Faerie, goverened by the incumbent Duchess Clarissante. *'Belassan' - an airy, mountainous province rich with culture and art and goverened by ruthless lawmakers, the Twins. *'Athdara' - a sleepy, idyllic and pastoral province goverened by the Duke Vilukhiani. *'Thene' - an impoverished borderland province with a low sidhe population, goverened by the garrulous Lord Fionn. 'Current Plotlines' *'Rise of the Mad King, oh noez!' *The construction of Helmnestral in Glimmerhorn Forest. *Calobrii is coming again! Hunters, let's train! *The Dream Repository and all it may purport. *Several annoying political threats from within, and all manners of treacherous behaviour. *The Slave Race, Naiimah (a scholar slave), and how they suffer. *'Alutina's quest to become Supremely Awesome, and to tick off various items in her shopping list, including killing Dieya, killing Dieya, and more killing of Dieya.' *Mia and Coal bandy about while trying to avoid each other, in spite of mutual goals. *Selissias the Third Age elder takes an apprentice and obtains a magical bird! *How many different ways we can annoy Vilukhiani. Some Past Plotlines *Almitra does some crazy things, including killing herself in front of her father, Conn. *Imari va Suncion of the Eloyhim enters into a relationship with Conn, in an attempt to secure the essence of Faerie for her own people. The bastard Aelarion is born. *Imari brings iron into Morrigna and nearly kills Ailestarion. He promises her a boon in exchange for sparing him - she demands a night with him. Sancia is born. *Amirithia plots against and successfully has Ailestarion overthrown. *Imari sends Ailestarion's daugher, Sancia, to Inaera (the White Court) as a political hostage. *Conn meets a spirit, Mia, and they explore the spirit vs. material issues and parasitic nature of Faerie. *Conn 'marries' Mia, and makes her Queen of Morrigna. *Domani trickses Mia in many ways. Domani devours the Magpie Prince of Chaline, becoming the Mad King. *Domani causes a lot of problems for Sancia. *Vilukhiani is made a Duke and has a lot of cleaning up to do in Athdara, and then a lot of cleaning up to do in the nobility. *Morrigna wages a long war with the White Court of Inaera. *Conn defeats the Queen of Inaera and converts the white fae into a slave race, depleting all his strength and killing himself in the process. *Vilukhiani discovers an enemy in the psychotic Huntress Illyxe, who he eventually inflicts with the Death Curse, but who avoids death by lopping off her arm before the curse can spread. *Aelarion is crowned King, and Vilukhiani his mentor. Much annoyance ensues with the boyish King running this way and that to avoid responsibility. *Aelarion tries to walk the fine line between benevolent legislator, and vicious dictator. *Aelarion marries Idrysaire, who is later murdered the day after their wedding. *Naiimah, a slave, creates an unlikely friendship with the King, and is rewarded for saving his life by being exiled by the Twins. ANY QUESTIONS, feel free to contact myself (Qor), Irastae, or Lahni.